Maple Syrup

[dave1949]

March 24 is this year's "Maine Maple Sunday." MMPA - Maine Maple Sunday Map

Many of the larger sugar houses are open for public tours, demonstrations, tasting, maple candies, etc. They make it a family-friendly affair. There is just no replacement for 100% real maple syrup. :licking:

I hope the weather cooperates, the recent cold snap has probably limited the run so far in this area.

 

[David P]

David P you asked how many taps I have............I use the formulae of 12 taps per grandchild, I only have one grandchild , but one is on the way ! So doubling my operation next year .
Just a hobby set up ! If I get to fill my 45 gallon rain barrel with raw , then I will get a few quarts of syrup for the family.

Sounds like a wonderful way to spend some time with your grandkids oneday!

 

[gsmaneeley]

This is my first year. My wife thought it would be a fun hobby for us (and the kids). We have 5 taps just to start out and see what we are doing. I don't want to take on more that I can handle. I knew it was a lot of work but didn't know very much about it. We have collected about 55gals of sap thus far. We made about 3 small pints our first batch. It turned out very light but I think this is due to only boiling about 10 gal of sap. We are now in the process of boiling down about 45gals using two turkey fryer burners and stainless pots. I am in hopes that we can get it to darken a little better not that the first try wasn't good just didn't have that dark color I was expecting. I can see where the addiction goes to more taps..then bigger boiling system....more taps.....bigger system and never ends

 

[smp999]

The light syrup comes out early in the season and gradually gets darker as the season goes on.

I have 30 taps. Going about 10yrs now. I may take a break for a while. My oldest daughter is getting married this year. She will be living about 2km down the road so the thought of doing it again when grandkids are around sound appealing.

 

[Avondale]

As the 2013 Maple Syrup season is just around the corner, I thought I would start a thread to see how everyone is getting ready for the season and how everyone is doing once boiling gets underway.
I have upgraded all my equipment, I went to a continuous flow evaporator, a vacuum system with 150 taps on line and 25 on buckets. I just need to weld my arch up and I am good to go.Maybe a new filter press if money allows.

This setup will be far better then my old barrel evaporator with 30 taps on buckets. I hope to make about 200litres of syrup this year giving me the chance to sell some.

Hello, Mike, been following this thread so thought a short update from eastern Ont. Had a good year so far, approx 100liters made so far with a chance of another run next week. Not our best year ever but way better than last year. We do 300 pails, no lines.

 

[MIKE R]

Well I made roughly 4US gallons today. The releaser was dumping into the tank faster then I could boil. It has been running here for the last week. I still have 150 gallons to boil down.

 

[David P]

My taps have finally broken loose this week as well! We collected 500 gallons on Tuesday and 680 yesterday!! Taps were flowing nicely late this afternoon and the weather tomorrow looks to produce another good run. We're at a hair under 2100 gallons (of sap) for the year; hoping to get to 5000.

My three daughters help my wife and I collect. I love seeing them out there learning the value of hard work at a young age (7, 8 & 11)